Can't Say We Didn't Try
by Just Silver
Summary: What would life be without friends? A little less embarassing if you ask Justin. Justin likes Harry and Seamus and crew are determined to help him. Justin/Harry slash!
1. No!

A/N: *Dodges thrown objects* Okay, okay. This is my attempt at a Justin/Harry fic. Why? Because the idea has been following me persistently for almost a week now. It's a dogged little plot bunny and refuses to be ignored any longer. Just give it a try. Please?  
  
Warnings:  
1. This is SLASH. Homophobes, this isn't your scene. Scram.  
2. I have no idea what this is going to be rated. So be prepared for anything PG and up.  
  
FLAMERS:  
Please say something intelligent and helpful.   
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. are not mine, and I am not making money off them.  
  
***  
It wasn't easy being a wizard. It wasn't easy being a wizard in Hufflepuff. It wasn't easy being a wizard in Hufflepuff, who liked Harry Potter. It wasn't easy being a wizard in Hufflepuff, who liked Harry Potter and had Draco, Seamus, and Dean making your life hell because of it, and that is exactly the position Justin Finch-Fletchley found himself in.  
  
He hadn't the slightest idea how he ended up in this fix. Maybe it was beacause he was as easy to read as those books with inch-high letters his teachers used to give him in kindergarten. Deception was far from Justin's middle name and he was horrible at concealing anything.  
  
He hadn't meant to like Harry; it just sort of happened. It was easy to admire Harry. He was nice, brave, and a talented flyer. When Justin had first met him, he had been rather nervous. He had babbled on and on and on. In retrospect he often wondered why someone hadn't done him a kindness and told him to shut up. Worse yet was when he thought Harry was the heir of Slytherin. Justin had been mortified and apologized endlessly to Harry. To date, he was still biting back apologies. Through classes and snippets of conversation, admiration became something more.  
  
He tried to ignore it. Tried to ignore the feeling that it was wrong for his blue-grey eyes to land on Harry's face and linger on his body. He couldn't help himself. Harry was beautiful, though not by most standards. As an artist, Justin learned to spot beauty where others might miss it. He found it in Harry and couldn't stop staring. *I can't be the only one. Surely someone else sees it,* he thought.   
  
He had tried talking to Dean about it, as one artist to another. "Excuse me?" Dean asked.  
"Harry. Do you think he's beautiful?"  
"I've never thought about it before."  
"Think about it," Justin said. A few days later, Dean dragged him aside.  
"I've been thinking about it," he said.  
"And?"  
"I don't see it."  
"Dean! How could you not see it: the eyes, the hair, the smile, the b-" Justin stopped himself abruptly. Dean's eyes widened.  
"Do you like him?" Dean asked.  
"Of course I like him. He's a nice guy."  
"No, no, no. I mean like as in boyfriend like."  
"NO!" Justin cried, aghast. "NO! Just- no."  
"Okay," Dean said.  
"I don't."  
"Of course not," Dean said. Justin got the feeling he was being humored.  
  
***  
*squirms nervously* Soooo, what do you think so far? Should I continue, or is this just too far-fetched? Review, please!  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver 


	2. I am not!

A/N: *hugs* Thank you sososo much for your kind reviews. So, I'm continuing. I'm kind of at a loss right now, so comments or suggestions would be much appreciated. Hopefully, we'll end up with a story that's pleasant to read and makes sense.  
  
Thank you Ulrika, Devilchild, Tictac, Bookworm, Ecentricity is me, Rehanna, Fluer---@, Goddess Shinigami, Que, Becks, Damien Leokas Cardoza, Silverfox, Irda Majere, *Wolf's Cry*, CaratGOld, Userfriendly, Courtney, Black Goddess, Saint, and HP Firebolt.  
  
***  
"Um, I think I need help," Justin said, looking at his table-turned-cat. It was squarish, completely flat on top and missing a tail. To make things worse, it was wobbly. From halfway across the room, Dean laughed. Justin shot him a semi-evil glare. Hannah Abott looked at him simpathetically.   
"That's pretty good, actually," Hermione said, looking over Justin's shoulder. "You just need to rotate your wrist a little..."  
  
By the time she was finished, Justin was more confused. "Thanks, Hermione. Can somebody translate that into English?" Harry laughed.  
"Like this," he said, demonstrating.  
"Oh," Justin said. He tried it. "Oh dear." The cat had a tail now and it wasn't wobbly, but it had three legs.  
"Let's try it together," Harry said, placing his right hand over Justin's. Justin blushed slightly at the contact. "Ready?" Harry asked, breath ghosting over Justin's cheek. Justin's blush increased as he nodded. He tried it with Harry's hand guiding his.   
  
"Perfect!" Justin exclaimed, picking up a black kitten with white paws.  
"Yours is better than mine. Mine still has wood-grained fur," Harry complained.  
"It's camoflauge kitty. It'll blend with the wainscoting."  
"Just what I always wanted- a cat that can sneak into the library," Harry said dryly. Justin laughed and looked up to see Dean laughing harder than before. He gave him a dark look, and went to show his girlfriend Hannah the kitten.  
  
After class he elbowed Dean in the side. "Ouch!" Dean cried.   
"Hello, Seamus," Justin said.  
"Oh, hey Justin!"   
"What was that for?" Dean asked.  
"Don't pretend you don't know."  
"It was funny! If you could've seen your face you would have laughed too."  
"I know I almost did. God, Justin that dumb look on your face ID'd you as a member of Harry's fan club for sure," Seamus giggled.  
"I am not!" Justin insisted.  
"You don't go all starry-eyed over Hannah," Dean observed.  
"I'm not starry-eyed over anybody!"  
"Right," Dean and Seamus said simultaneously.  
  
History of Magic- Justin was doodling. It had started out simple enough- an oval fo a face two more ovals for eyes, slanted strokes for lashes, a curve for lips. Hey, it looked like Harry, except for the lack of a scar and glasses. Justin folded the paper and tossed it in his bag. New sheet. He didn't want to risk drawing anymore so he just let his thoughts wander. Seamus and Dean were in Divination right now. So was Harry, come to think of it. He had a cute way of pursing his lips when trying to make up things for that class. He had such smooth lips. Briefly Justin wondered what it would be like to kiss him. *Wait! Hold on! Where the hell did that come from? Oh my god, Dean and Seamus are right!*  
  
A few days later in Transfiguration, Justin took a seat next to Seamus and Dean and covered his face with his hands. "Okay, so I am!"  
"Excuse me?" Dean asked.  
"You guys were right."  
"Justin, we don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps if you elaborated," Seamus said with a sly grin. Justin looked horrified. They were going to make him say it in the middle of class, where anybody could hear him. He mumbled something into his hands.  
"What?" Dean asked. "I couldn't hear a word."  
"Oh, forget it!" Justin said, going to sit elsewhere. Seamus and Dean looked confused.  
"What was he going on about?" Seamus asked.  
"I honestly have no idea," Dean replied.  
  
***  
Okay, It was very short, but once I get into this story the chapters should be longer. Please review!  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver 


	3. How Draco sees it

A/N: I added some stuff to the previous chapters and I've changed the summary a bit. I think I'm shooting for humorous romantic angst in this story. It's sounds weird, but I think it's possible.  
  
Thank you Random Thought, blackskye, GrystalStarGuardian, Mystical Kiwi, Sailor Galaxie, Rubicon, Mystica, Lindsay Beth, Kjersti, Black goddess, becks, Silverfox, HPFirebolt, Isabella Fairfield, User Friendly, Evil Angel, Bookworm, *Wolf's Cry*, Goddes Shinigami, Eccentricity is Me, Changeling, Fluer---@, Damy, and Kissaki.  
  
***  
Draco had to admit that he actually liked Justin. He was one of the few people to treat him courteously. Justin did not shun him or fawn over him and that interested Draco. Knowing Justin did not convince Draco that Hufflepuff House wasn't a complete waste of space, nor did it convince him that Mudbloods were okay. (For evidence to the contrary, one need look no further than Granger.) All in all Draco regarded Justin as one regards fruit punch cola: slightly repulsive, strangely enticing, wonderfully refreshing, and definitely fruity.  
  
It was that last one that made Justin an endless source of amusement. He was so transparent. Better still, Justin honestly didn't know what other people could tell by watching him closely. Luckily for him, most of the school was too preoccupied to notice that unbeknownst to himself, Justin had a major crush on Harry Potter.   
  
If asked, Draco would've said that it had truly started with the rapidly expanding pudding. It had been a practical joke played on the Hufflepuffs by the Slytherins. They had taken some pudding and thrown in several engorgement charms and a timing charm. The pudding had covered all the Hufflepuff dorms in creamy vanilla goodness, nearly smothering two short first-years. Naturally the dorms needed to be cleaned before they were habitable again. The Hufflepuffs were to stay in oher houses in the meantime. And Justin had ended up sharing a dorm with none other than Harry Potter and Co. for three weeks.  
  
When Draco first realized that Justin was infatuated with Harry, he had raised his eyebrows and struggled hard to keep from laughing at his unfortunate acquaintance. (Draco was hesitant to call Justin a friend.) He watched how Justin and Harry interacted and he felt sorry for Justin. Nothing was ever going to come of this. Justin lacked the nerve to do anything about it, even if he did realize that Hannah was not quite his type, being female and all. What Justin needed was help, and Seamus was way ahead of Draco on that one...  
***  
  
How's Seamus going to help Justin? I have a few ieas, but I'm still open to suggestions. Review!  
  
Luv,  
J. Silver 


	4. An alliance of sorts

A/N: So work continues on this fic. I am working on the sequel to L and D. If I feel really impatient, I might post it today or tomorrow, half-baked plot(s), spelling erors, cultural oversights and all. ^_^  
  
Thank you Rubicon, CrystalStarGuardian, nodoubt13, Fluer---@, Lisa, Lindsay Beth, Tenshi no Shikyo, Silverfox, Becks, kaybanana, Damy, and Rehanna.  
  
***  
  
Seamus and Dean were in the library working on their potions assignment. This was the first year they didn't have potions with the Slytherins. That honor went to the Hufflepuffs. "You know," Seamus piped up," I've been thinking."  
"Uh-oh," said Dean, scribbling notes on a roll of parchment.  
"Very funny. I've been thinking about this whole Justin/Harry thing." Dean put down his quill and looked up.  
"Let's hear it," he sighed.  
"Do you think it's possible that Harry is gay?"  
"Anything's possible, Seamus."  
"Fine. Is it probable that Harry is gay?"  
"Well..."  
"Think about it. He hasn't had one girlfriend."  
"He went to the Yule ball with Parvati."  
"And completely ignored her."  
"Yeah, okay."  
"He's Harry Potter. If he showed the slightest interest, girls would just line up for him."  
"Line up?" Dean echoed raising an eyebrow.  
"Yes, line up," Seamus repeated.  
"This is just speculation."  
"There's one way to find out."  
"You're not going to ask him, are you?" Dean gasped. Seamus looked scandalized.   
"Of course I'm not going to ask him!" Seamus exclaimed. Dean gave a sigh of relief. "I'm going to ask his friends!"  
"Seamus!" Just then Justin and Draco entered the library. Seamus's face lit up with mischief.  
"What are those two doing together?" he whispered.  
"How should I know?"  
"I mean, really, Draco Malfoy in public with a Muggleborn Hufflepuff? Wonders never cease."  
"Shut up," Dean replied crossly.  
"Gladly. I want to hear what they're saying."  
  
"Draco, did you find that book?" Justin called.   
"Yes," Draco replied, turning a corner. He froze suddenly. "Oh my goodness, Justin! It's Potter naked!" Justin dropped whatever book he was holding and covered his face. Draco laughed, though not derisively. Dean and Seamus stifled a fit of giggles. Justin tried to appear calm.  
"That was not funny," he said.  
"Maybe not, but it was fun to see your face turn three different shades of red," Draco replied.  
"You're awful."  
"Being awful is a personal hobby of mine."  
"Do you have to practice it on me? What have I ever done to you?"  
"Now, now, can't go around making exceptions. If I treat you nicely, I'd be expected to treat everyone nicely."  
"And that would just ruin your image, wouldn't it?" Seamus asked as they came out from behind the bookshelf.  
"Exactly," Draco said coolly.  
  
  
"Since when have you and Malfoy been on a first-name basis?" Seamus inquired.  
"Since-" Actually, come to think of it, Justin couldn't remember.  
"Like it's any of your business, Finnigan," Draco said. "Sod off."  
"Did we interrupt something?" Seamus asked.   
"Actually yes, I was in the middle of harassing Justin for his horribly obvious crush, and if you don't mind, I'd like to continue without you."  
"But I do mind. I've been harassing him for days already."  
"Have you?"  
"I think they'd make a cute couple," Seamus commented.  
"By 'cute', you mean 'nauseating'," Draco replied.  
"In the dictionary according to Malfoy, yes, cute would be equivalent to nauseating."  
"Well, then I agree."  
"Justin doesn't."  
"We didn't ask him for his opinion."  
"Would you be so kind as to help me set them up?" Seamus asked.   
  
Draco thought about it for a moment. He'd be helping a Gryffindor (Yuk.) and setting Justin up with his archrival (Not good.), but Justin and Potter would be a cute match (Did he actually just think that?) and it would make Justin happy...  
  
Justin could tell that Draco was actually considering teaming up with Seamus. He prayed desperately that Draco would say no. The absolute last thing he needed was Draco and Seamus and Dean united against him. *Please, please, please...*  
  
"I'll do it," Draco answered. Seamus beamed. Dean stared in disbelief. *I'm completely and utterly screwed,* thought Justin.  
  
***  
So things just go from bad to worse for Justin. Still taking opinions on pairings, so if you have a preference...Review!  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	5. Ron

A/N: none, just have patience while I sort through the ideas in my head and commit some of them to paper.  
  
Thanks to all the lovely people who reviewed last time. Suggestions have been noted and I'm still taking them.   
  
***  
The dorm was empty when Ron opened the door. *Perfect,* he thought. He flopped down lengthwise on his bed and closed his eyes, blissfully unaware that Seamus would enter the room and destroy his moment of peace in five, four, three, two- "Ro-on," Seamus sang, practically dancing in the room.   
"Damn," Ron muttered, eyes still closed. Seamus moved across the room with a grace that was lost on Ron, who couldn't see him yet, but knew by the way that the mattress moved beneath him that Seamus had just thrown himself on the bed.   
  
"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Seamus asked. Ron opened his eyes.  
"If I say 'yes,' will that stop you?" he inquired.   
"No," Seamus replied, grinning.  
"Well, then yes."  
"Wonderful. How well do you know about your best friend?"  
"Very well, I'd like to think."  
"Do you know everything about him?"  
"Everything worth knowing. Why?" Ron asked suspiciously, rolling onto his side.  
"Is he gay?" Seamus queried. Ron snorted.  
"I don't think he'd go out with you."  
"Why not? What's wrong with me?" Seamus demanded.  
"You want the abridged list or the long one?"  
"Prick," Seamus muttered, rolling on to his stomach.  
  
"I wasn't asking for myself," he said.  
"Then who were you asking for?"  
"Justin." Ron fell off the bed.  
"Finch-Fletchley?" he asked from his position on the floor. He decided that the shock was too much for him to risk standing right now. Seamus looked over the edge of the bed and nodded. "Liar."  
"I am not!" Seamus protested.  
"Get off it. You don't honestly expect me to believe Justin asked you to ask me if Harry was gay."  
"He was quite against the idea," Seamus uttered, picking at the covers on the bed.  
"Then why are you asking?"  
"Because we're going to set them up."  
"We?"  
"Me, Dean, Malfoy, and yourself," Seamus answered brightly.  
"Malfoy?"  
"Yep. He thinks they'd be nauseating."  
"Why does he care?"  
"I can't be certain, but I think he's formed a friendship with our favorite Hufflepuff."  
"You're shitting me."  
"I shit you not, my friend. Are you in or out?"  
  
Ron ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I don't even know if Harry's gay."  
"Has he ever shown a strong interest in girls?"  
"No," Ron admitted.  
"Well?"   
"That doesn't mean anything."  
"You sound just like Dean."  
"Did it occur to you that Dean might be right?"  
"Of course not," Seamus scoffed, sounding offended at the very idea.  
"No."  
"Please."  
"Seamus-"  
"Please, Ron," Seamus begged. "I'll do whatever you want. Please?"  
"Whatever I want?"   
"Name it," Seamus answered without hesitation.  
"Leave me alone for an hour so that I can get some sleep," Ron said.  
"You'll help?"  
"Yeah," Ron sighed. He was caught up in a rib-breaking hug.  
"Thankyou,thankyou,thankyou."  
"Get off me!" Ron yelled. Seamus released him immediately.  
"Sorry," he replied, smiling sheepishly.  
"Right, just leave."  
"Sure. See you in an hour," Seamus called, jumping off the bed and dashing off to meet his co.-conspirators.  
"Can't wait," Ron muttered.  
  
Seamus skidded to a stop in the library. "Ron is in," he panted. Justin groaned. Things just got better and better, didn't they.  
"How'd you manage that?" Dean asked. Seamus winked and raked a hand through his hair.  
"I dazzled him with my charm and good looks," he replied.  
"You mean you annoyed him to death. Nice work, Finnigan," Draco replied dryly. Seamus crossed his arms.  
"Don't make me doubt you value to this project, Malfoy."  
"I am indispensable to this project," Draco said smoothly with the smallest of smirks on his lips.  
"How so?" Seamus inquired.  
"Please, if you want to make Potter and Justin an item, you are going to need more than Gryffindor foolhardiness."  
"Some would call it bravery, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Seamus retorted.  
"Seamus," Justin called. Seamus turned. "It's bad enough you're making my life miserable, but can we at least refrain from calling each other names?"  
"You're right, Justin," Draco said, smiling. Seamus shot him a questioning look.  
"Yeah, okay," he sighed.  
  
"You know," Justin began," we really don't need to do this. We could just forget about it and..."  
"Miss the chance to embarrass you horribly?" Seamus filled in.  
"That's what I was going for, yes," Justin said, feeling his hopes sink as Seamus grin grew wider.  
"Now why on earth would we want to pass up an opportunity like that?" Draco inquired. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed." Justin turned pink.  
"What are you talking about? Look at this face," Dean said, placing an arm around Justin's shoulders. "He's always cute."   
"Especially when failing transfiguration," Seamus added.  
"I'm not failing!" Justin protested.  
"I've got an idea!" Seamus exclaimed.  
"Uh-oh," Draco, Justin, and Dean said simultaneously.  
"Just hear me out," Seamus requested. Justin sighed. There was no way this could end well.  
  
***  
Sorry it took so long, but bewtween my website and all my other fics and geting ready for school, I got sidetracked. Rest assured, I am working on all the other fics.   
  
Luv always,  
J. Silver  



	6. What Happened to Hannah?

A/N: It's been ages and ages since I've posted on this one. This chapter is longer than any of the others.  
  
Thank you Glossy, Jair, Kissaki, Princess of Insanity, harrypotterroxmysox, Sophie, Courteney, Krazy Kandy, Yanagi Angel, aplit personalities are we, Eccentricity is Me, Lady Ev, Mystica, Escagirl, Lindsey Beth, Artema, Ema Lee, phat girl, Redhawk, Silverfox, Rehanna, Fleur---@, and if I've forgotten anyone, I'm truly sorry, but the site is being screwy again.   
  
Special thanks to Rubicon.  
  
Apologies to my betas.  
  
***  
Justin found himself being forcibly dragged to the library the next afternoon. "Let me go!"  
"Absolutely not!" Seamus said.   
"This is a golden opportunity-"  
"To make a move on the Golden boy," Draco finished, interrupting Dean. Justin shot him a look of positive distress. If Draco had been a lesser Slytherin, he might have saved his friend from complete mortification. However, Draco was the very definition of the word "Slytherin" and "mercy" was a term he was not familiar with.  
"Cheer up, Justin. Have we ever led you astray?" Justin was about to mention the time Seamus had told him to add dragon's blood to his sleeping potion and it exploded, sending him and four other people to the hospital with scales and wisps of smoke curling out of their nostrils. However, he was distracted by the amused look on Harry's face as Justin and his entourage entered the room.  
  
"Hey, Justin."  
"Um, hi, Harry."  
"I don't you remember you being that adverse to studying. Is all that really necessary?" he asked, gesturing to Seamus, et al.   
"You have no idea," Draco replied.  
"Malfoy?" Harry's brow furrowed.   
"Yes, Potter?"  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Has Madam Pince died and left you dictator of the library?"  
"No..."  
"Well, then don't concern yourself with why I'm here. Ah, look, a distraction!"  
"What?" Harry asked, turning.  
"All looks, no substance," Draco muttered. "Hey, Potter, did you hear? They revised the definition of the word 'gullible' in the dictionary to include a picture of you, along with inept, graceless, cliched, short, fashion victim, overrated-"  
"Amazing. You're in the dictionary too! Right next to asshole, jerk, heartless, scheming, underhanded, bastard..."  
"Getting quite friendly with our dictionaries, aren't we boys? Get any closer and the poor dears will have been violated," Seamus teased.   
"Shut up, Seamus."  
"Now that wouldn't be my style. However, I will leave you two to study."  
  
"I don't understand why you didn't ask Hermione to help you with this," Harry remarked as Justin took a seat.  
"I can't understand a word she says. She knows too many polysyllabic words."  
"Oh and that's not a big word at all."  
"What isn't?"  
"Polysyllabic."  
"Oh." Justin blushed. "And she gets annoyed when I ask a question."  
"I guess she doesn't understand why everyone isn't as clever as she is."  
"Yeah, when it comes to transfiguration, I learn at the speed of a Special Olympic hurdler." Harry laughed.  
"You're going to need to move a little bit faster than that if you're going to pass tomorrow's test."  
"Just a smidgen."  
"Let's start then."  
  
Justin entered his dorm, which still smelled vaguely of vanilla, feeling quite happy- until the Harry/Justin task force jumped him. "Well?" Dean asked.  
"Well, I'm going to pass tomorrow's test."  
"Justin, you missed the point entirely!" Seamus whined.  
"What?" Justin asked innocently.  
"No one arranges a study session to study," Draco answered.  
"Not unless you're Hermione," Ron grumbled.  
"Wh- oh. Oh!" Justin cried, eyes widening and cheeks reddening as he finally got it. "Aren't you forgetting one small detail?"  
"You're too much of a Hufflepuff to tell Harry you like him and Harry's too much of a Gryffindor to jump you because it wouldn't be the gentlemanly thing to do?" Draco asked lightly.  
"That's two things," Seamus said. Draco rolled his eyes.  
"I have a girlfriend."  
"Had," corrected Dean.  
"What do you mean had?"  
"Think, Justin. I know it's hard, but try," Draco said. Justin stuck out his tongue. In reply, Draco stuck out his tongue and made an odd sort of movement, which Justin copied. The end effect was a something resembling a French kiss.   
"Stop," Seamus commanded, hitting them both upside the head.  
"Don't touch me," Draco said sternly.  
"But touching you has always been my biggest fantasy," Seamus teased.  
"Shut up, Finnigan."  
"As you like."  
  
"What happened to Hannah?" Justin asked.  
"What's today?" Dean asked.  
"It's the- oh my god! Hannah's birthday is today!"  
"And how did you spend it? In the library. With a guy. She wrote you a note," Dean said, holding up a piece of parchment. Justin read it.  
"She said I've been ignoring her and she thinks I like somebody else."  
"Tsk, tsk," Draco said, shaking his head.  
"Hush you. Seamus, I'm going to hurt you."  
"Me? Why me? It is not my fault that *you* have the hots for Harry Potter."  
"I do *not* have the hots for him!"  
"Right and you would certainly object to a night of wild -"  
"Malfoy, continue that line of thought any further and I will hurt you," Ron interrupted.  
"You've never thought of him that way?"  
"God no! Are you saying you have?" Draco's only reply was a small smirk. Ron made a small choking noise in the back of his throat.  
"Please, of course not. Me and Potter? That's just wrong," Draco replied.  
"I agree," Ron said.  
"I dunno. I think the idea sounds rather sexy."  
"Yes, but, Seamus, you only think with one type of head, so your opinion doesn't count," Dean said with a sly grin. Seamus giggled.  
"Ah, you know me too well. But what are we going to do about Justin?"   
"Oh no!" Justin exclaimed.   
"What?" asked the others simultaneously.   
"Hannah wants to know if I'm gay." At this the other boys dissolved into fits of giggles.  
***  
  
Poor Justin! Does he ever get a break in this fic? More will follow. I promise to have it out in less than two months. No, I'm not evil, just busy. Meanwhile, be a dear and review!  
  
love,  
J. Silver 


	7. Vanishing Closets

A/N: Has it been two months already? Please forgive me. I don't mean to be so evil. It just happens, but I rpomise that the next chapter will be out in less than a month. I promise!  
  
Thank you VenusPrincess, Midnight Reader, coriander, Foxsong, HPMystery, Jade Diamond, Silent Stalker, Sailor Galaxie, Mystica, Glitter Flame, Rehanna, Redhawk, RandomThought, Silverfox, Annclaire, and Mistique.  
  
Special thanks to Rubicon, who reminds me when I need to update this ficcy.  
  
***  
"Okay," Seamus began, " so the first plan failed due to-"  
"Justin's complete naiveté," Draco finished.  
"Right. But the second plan-"  
"Isn't much better, but we've got to try anyway," said Dean.  
"What have I done to make you guys hate me so much?" Justin asked miserably.  
"Hate you? Justin, we're doing this because we love you," Draco said, pretending to be hurt.  
"Is that a confession?" Seamus inquired.  
"Shut up," Draco snapped.  
"Maybe we shouldn't be setting up Justin and Harry," Dean remarked.  
"Dean, right now you are the only Gryffindor I don't have a problem with. If you want to ruin that, keep talking." Seamus giggled.  
"No need to get all defensive, love," he said, resting a hand on Draco's shoulder.  
"Don't touch me," Draco said, swatting at Seamus's hand.  
"Tell me, are you straight or asexual?"  
"No comment. Anything I say will only encourage you."  
  
Justin moaned. He was certain that this was going to fail. He was doubly certain because he didn't even know what the plan was. Seamus seemed rather excited about it, which was all the more reason for Justin to worry. "Er...what did you call this plan?"  
"An exercise in desperation." Draco replied shortly.  
"It's a bit unconventional," Seamus admitted.  
"I'm not doing it," Justin said flatly.  
"What?" Seamus cried.  
"I'm not doing it. I don't know what you're up to, but I can only take so much embarrassment in one lifetime."  
"But Ron has put so much work into this."  
"I don't care."  
"Justin, give it up. You know how Seamus is. You can do one of two things: nothing and like it," Dean explained. Justin's eyes turned to Draco.  
"Please, Draco. I'm appealing to whatever sense of decency you have-"  
"I'm sorry. There's none of that here. Looks like you're SOL. C'mon." Draco grabbed Justin by the elbow and steered him out of the room.  
"You know, you're the worst of the lot."  
"I know."  
  
Draco guided Justin through the halls before pausing before a door. He paused before it and looking around opened the door. "After you," he said, steeping aside. Justin took a tentative step forward and peered into the dimly lit room. He stumbled forward into the room (which was a glorified closet, really) and heard the door slam behind him.   
"Draco!" he tried the knob. Locked. "Bastard," he muttered.   
"Justin?" Justin froze.   
"Harry? What are you doing here?"  
"To be honest, I have no idea. You?"  
"None," Justin replied. It wasn't exactly a lie. "Where are you? I can't see a damn thing. Fuck!" He kicked at the box that had nearly made him go crashing to the ground.  
Harry giggled. "What?"  
"I've never heard you swear."  
"I hate when people say that. I mean honestly, I know I'm in Hufflepuff, but that doesn't mean I'm a goody-good."  
"Are you?"  
"Well, yeah." Harry laughed again.  
"Have a seat," he said.  
"Where are you?"  
"Far corner. Your left." Somehow, Justin made his way to the afore mentioned corner. He sat.  
"Um, Justin?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Though I'm not exactly complaining, is it positively necessary for you to sit in my lap?"  
  
Justin leapt up mortified and muttered that he actually preferred to stand.  
  
Having always been shy and prone to nervousness when presented with awards for his artwork, Justin's little brother once advised him to picture the crowd in their underwear. Having had great success with the technique, he tried it now. However, that image of Harry did not have quite the effect Justin was looking for and he quickly turned several shades of pink that Harry could make out as his vision adjusted to the semidarkness.  
  
"Are you alright?" Harry asked. Justin put his face in his hands.  
"Actually, no. I'm not alright," he muttered.  
"Anything I can do?" //Short of not existing for a while...//  
"No," the Hufflepuff replied. The rustling of fabric caught his attention. He looked up to find Harry occupied in unfastening his robe. "What are you doing?" he cried, aghast.  
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm baking in here." //And I'm melting.// Justin had remembered Harry telling Ron about the horrors of Hermione dragging him to what seemed like every clothing store in London, but Justin had never seen proof of the gauntlet until now. Apparently tired of wearing baggy clothes all his life, Harry had gone running to the other extreme. The clothes he wore under his robe were nearly skintight.  
  
Harry looked up and Justin averted his eyes, willing himself to stare at the floor and not Harry. Harry stood beside him and tilted his chin up. "Are you positive you're alright? You look like you're about to faint." //I might just do that.// In fact he did.   
  
He woke up an undetermined amount of time later with Harry's lips on his in what he immediately recognized as an attempt at Muggle CPR. "Oh, thank goodness," Harry sighed. "I was getting worried for a minute."  
"How long have we been in here?" Harry shrugged.  
"An hour or two? What's this all about? If this is Ron's idea of a joke, it isn't very funny."  
"Sure it is. I'm sure he thinks it's very funny that we're both locked in a closet and sooner or later we'll have to come out." It was Harry's turn to blush.  
"That's a loaded term," he said, offering his hand to Justin, who gratefully accepted it.  
"Everything's loaded. You say one innocent phrase and all of sudden your best friends are ready to drape you in rainbows and expecting you to burst out in show tunes."  
"I thought you had a girlfriend."  
"Not anymore."  
"What happened?"  
"She dumped me and asked me if I was gay."  
"Are you?" Justin paused.  
"Well...yes."  
"Oh."  
"Feel free to panic now. I'm gay and I'm a teenager. I dare say you're in mortal danger, Harry. I'd advise you to run, but you wouldn't get very far," Justin laughed.   
"I'm not panicking," Harry replied quietly.  
"Why not? I am! We're locked in a closet for Christ's sake."  
"Sooner or later Ron will have to confess. We'll get out."  
"You do realize that this one of those funny closets?"  
"Is it draped in rainbows too?"  
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. This closet vanishes on Saturdays and doesn't reappear until Monday."  
"Oh shit."  
"Yeah." Silence. They both ran to the door.  
  
"Help! Help! Let us out! Help!" The door opened and Justin and Harry collapsed in an undignified heap on the floor.  
"Potter! Finch-Fletchley! What on earth are you doing in there?" asked Professor McGonagall.  
"Bad joke," Justin muttered, scrambling to his feet.  
"A joke?"   
"No harm done," Harry said, looking to Justin for help. But Justin was gone. A certain Irish boy was in severe trouble.  
  
"Seamus You-are-a-dead-little-Irishman Finnigan!" Justin yelled upon entering his dorm.  
"Little? Did you hear that, Dean? He called me little. Who does he think he is?"  
"An incensed-"  
"But accurate," Draco interrupted.  
"Rich boy?" Dean finished.   
"Accurate? Like you would know, Malfoy," Ron snorted.  
"That can be arranged," Seamus said.  
"Or not," Draco replied.  
"You!"  
"Yes, Justin?"  
"Where do you get off locking me in a closet that vanishes for days at a time?"  
"Where do I get off? I don't think you want to know the answer to that question. Was that the vanishing closet? Dean!"  
"What?"  
"You told me that the closet two doors down was the vanishing one."  
"My mistake."  
"Your mistake! Did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want into Harry's pants?" Justin inquired.   
"Why no! Are you saying that you don't want to fuck him?"  
"I'm sorry but that was too much information for me!" Ron objected.  
"Look, your best friend is the most shaggable guy in this school- with one or two exceptions," Seamus added, glancing at Draco. "Femmes and males alike want him. Deal with it. Do you want to sleep with him, Justin?"  
"No. I mean, eventually, maybe but I just..."   
"Aww! Justin's a romantic! He wants to get to know Potter first," Draco cooed, grinning.  
"Basically."  
"Why didn't you say so? That requires a whole other strategy."  
"Seamus, I don't think this is working. Maybe we should give up," Justin sighed. Draco grabbed Justin's hands.  
"Do you really like Po- Harry?" he asked.  
"Yes."  
"Do you want to go out with him?"  
"I'm so tired-"  
"Yes or no."  
"Yes."  
"Then you will. I won't let you give up." Draco said, squeezing Justin's hands. Justin smiled.  
"Thank you."  
  
"I'm dreaming. Draco Malfoy caring about someone other than himself? Pinch me. Ouch! I said pinch, not punch, Malfoy!"  
"Really?" Draco said innocently. "I could've sworn you said punch, Weasley. My mistake."  
"Arse."  
"What? Punch you again? If you say so-"   
"Ouch! You bastard! Ouch! Miserable git. Hey! You sodding- marvelous person, you," Ron ended rubbing his arm.  
"That's what I thought you said, Weasley."  
  
***  
  
I'm sorry for the wait, but I've been so busy. Here's to wishing for free time. Thank you so much for bearing with me! Comments and criticism much appreciated!  
  
Love always,   
J. Silver 


	8. Seamus. No Last Name.

A/N: Hey, I updated before the two month mark! woohoo!  
  
Thank you Scrathces, Foxglove, whitebearwrites, Eccentricity is Me, Cinaed Born of Fire, relm destroyer, Mystica, MiniMe (sol stands for shit out of luck), Redhawk, Fleur ROchard, Silverfox (Draco will get his moment), energy, lise, HpMystery ( I will update L& F soon. I swear.), and Rehanna. *mwah* Love you all!  
  
***  
  
Seamus gave Justin a crooked grin and slid an arm around Justin's shoulder. "So what are going to wear?" Seamus asked. Justin sighed. All day he had prayed not to run into Seamus or Dean or Draco and he had succeeded- until now.  
"Wear to what?"  
"Tonight's party," Draco replied, smiling with Cheshire cat-naughtiness.  
"I'm not going to any party."  
"Yes, you are." Dean insisted.  
"Harry will be there," Seamus added.  
"Then I'm definitely not going."  
"What do you mean you're not going?" Seamus demanded.  
"The last thing I need is to continue to make myself look like an idiot in front of Harry!"  
"You won't make yourself look like an idiot. Seamus will take care of that," Dean said. Seamus glared at him.  
"You're not helping. I promise. I swear on all that I hold sacred-"  
"That would be hot guys and all drinks containing alcohol."  
"Dean! Shut up! I swear that you won't be embarrassed." Justin sighed again. Why him? Why did bad things happen to good people?  
"Fabulous! Malfoy, take him to your dorm."  
"What?" said Draco.  
"We can't take him to the Gryffindor dorms. Harry is there!"  
"How will it look if I take Justin up to my dorm?"  
"How does it look with you calling him by his first name all the time?"  
"I'd like to see you call him 'Finch-Fletchley' everyday. Justin is easier," Draco snapped.  
"C'mon, Malfoy. You know you want Justin," Seamus teased.  
"As much as you want Potter."  
"I happen to think Potter is quite the hottie, but I prefer blondes myself," Seamus replied, casting what could be rightfully termed as a lustful glance at Draco.  
"If you ever look at me like that again, Finnigan, I will cause you severe bodily harm and you will be lucky if you ever get it up again." Dean burst into giggles.   
"Oooh! You play dirty and you play rough. I like that," Seamus cooed.  
"You're a pain in the arse," Draco replied sulkily.  
"You wish I was a pain in your arse, Malfoy."  
  
"No," Justin said firmly.  
"C'mon," Seamus begged.  
"Absolutely not."  
"Malfoy?" Draco smiled apologetically at Justin.  
"It's for your own good," he said, pushing Justin onto his bed.  
"Wha-Draco!Draco! Stop! Oh my g-Draco! Get off me! Please! Rape!" Draco stood back, hair mussed, eyes shining. After an intense and suggestive struggle, he had managed to trade the pair of pants Justin had been wearing for the red leather ones he had refused to wear.  
"I wanted you to change his pants, not deflower him!" Seamus complained.  
"Shut up," Draco replied crossly. Seamus grabbed Justin's hand and yanked him up.  
"While I like the fit, I'm not into that color. It makes you look kinda whorish."  
"Whorish? He looks nothing like you, Finnigan," Draco replied. Dean laughed.  
"That's not funny," Seamus pouted. "I've done nothing to you but you seemed determined to mock me."  
"You make it so easy."  
"Jerk. And don't you dare hit me. Unlike Ron, I'll punch you back." Ron shot a dark look at Seamus.  
"I wouldn't dream of hitting you. I never hit girls." Dean couldn't stand it anymore.  
"Enough! Enough! If I laugh anymore, I think I'll die! Cut it out!"  
"Yes, you two can continue your spat later. But back to the matter at hand," Ron gestured to Justin.  
  
"Yes, we simply must get rid of that color. It is so not the mood we're going for," Seamus replied, affecting a very posh accent.   
"What mood is that?" Draco asked. Seamus inhaled deeply through his nose and put his hands to his temples.  
"I'm getting a vibe here- very sleek, very dangerous, very sexy."  
"Are you sure you're talking about the same Justin?" Dean asked.  
"Oh, right. I forgot. New vibe- still sleek, still sexy, very virginal."  
"What?" Ron giggled.  
"You should be very familiar with the term, Weasley. It comes from the word virgin, what you're going to be until you die."  
"Draco," Justin said. Draco looked contrite.  
"I couldn't resist."  
"Ahem! Back to my vibe."  
"Yes, Mr. Finnigan, share your vision," Dean prompted.  
"Not Mr. Finnigan. Seamus. No last name. Anyway, to continue: virginal, coy, a very 'look, but don't you dare touch' kinda feel."  
"Coy?" Justin echoed.  
"Yes, coy is affected demure," Seamus said.  
"Demure?"  
"It's you, don't worry," Dean replied.  
  
"How about black?" Draco suggested.  
"Absolutely not," Seamus scoffed. "Everyone has a pair of black leather pants. *Harry* has a pair of black leather pants."  
"Yeah, but Harry also had these," Ron added, tossing something to Seamus. The blond boy caught it reflexively. He held it up and doubled over with laughter.   
"Here," he said, passing it to Justin. "You can return these to him." Justin held in his hands a set of handcuffs. Draco gave a small laugh.  
"I didn't know Potter had it in him," he said, shaking his head.  
"Me neither," Seamus giggled.  
"Who does he use them on?" asked Dean. There was a pause as everyone thought and then turned to Ron.  
"I may have to take back what I said, Weasley. Don't tell me you're into 'friends with benefits'," Draco remarked quietly.  
"Hardly," Ron said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"What about slate?" Dean asked.  
"For what?" Justin asked.  
"For the pants."  
"What's slate?" Ron asked.  
"Oh my god, you're so hetero, it's not even funny. Let me guess, you only know ten colors, right?" Seamus said.  
"There are ten colors?" Ron asked blankly. "I only know- *counts* nine. Oh, no wait. Ten, if you include grey."  
"Slate is a bluish-grey color," Dean explained.  
"Oh."  
"No," Justin said.  
"I've got it!" Draco exclaimed.  
"Got what?" asked Seamus.  
"A heart?" murmured Ron.  
"I've got a plan for how we can dress Justin."  
"No," Justin repeated.  
"Justin love, we can go with his idea or we can go with mine. Mine involves feathers," Seamus said.  
"Draco's idea sounds good," Justin said immediately. Draco looked marginally pleased.  
  
"Somebody open a window!" Dean called.  
"Wow! I must commend you, Malfoy. Justin looks dead sexy."  
"For once, Finnigan and I agree on something," Draco whispered, adjusting Justin's collar. Using a variety of charms and shifting through Draco's wardrobe, they had finally found an outfit they all agreed upon. (Well, Justin didn't agree, but his opinion didn't matter anyway.) The pants had been changed to black and Justin was wearing a semi-transparent sweater that matched his eyes. Over it all he wore a black suede trench coat. Add to that that he was pouting adorably and he could've been a model, if models ate real food.  
"This isn't me."  
"We know," Dean replied.  
"And this jacket- It's hardly practical. It keeps getting entangled in my legs."  
"Damn practical! It's not about practical. It's about making you look like some kind of sex god. Besides, with any luck, the jacket will come off along with everything else anyway. After the cozy heart-to-heart chat, of course," Seamus added.  
"You have all the tact and sensitivity of a charging bull," Draco replied. He turned back to Justin who looked like Snape had just made a pass at him. "Relax," he said. "Be yourself. If you can make me like you, you can make anybody like you."  
"Snape doesn't like me," Justin pointed out.  
"Everyone who matters," Draco corrected. Justin smiled.  
"You're not as bad as everyone says you are."  
"Yeah, I am," the Slytherin replied matter-of-factly.  
  
***  
Next chapter...Is Justin destined to be embarrased yet again? Will someone finally get together? Heck if I know. Review, darlings!  
  
Love,  
J. Silver 


	9. Cinnamon

A/N: I have a really good reason for not posting sooner: I was busy failing math. I will try to have the next chapter up within three weeks.  
  
Thank you Eternal Firesinger, Mystica, HermioneHeidi, Eccentricity is Me, Lilith, Foxglove, Redhawk, MiniMe, whitebearwrites, Rubicon, ***, Annclaire, Seamus Finnigan, Silverfox, M14Mouse, twilights death, Solus Spiritus, Mari, Aya G., lise, Scratches, and Rehanna, the lovely first reviewer.  
  
***  
  
Draco entered the room smoldering in head to toe black that contrasted sharply with his fair skin shortly after the others had forcibly dragged Justin inside. He caught sight of Justin and crew and walked over to them noting that he had caught everyone's attention, including Harry's. "You like you desperately want the ground to open and swallow you up," he whispered to Justin, grinning archly.  
"I wish it would be so kind," moaned Justin.  
"What's the plan?" Draco asked Seamus. Seamus turned, the glitter some Ravenclaw girl dumped in his hair sparkling.  
"Well, we spread out so that Harry can catch Justin alone and cross our fingers and hope for the best," Seamus replied. Draco's eyes widened.  
"That's it? That's the plan?"  
"Do you have a better one?" Seamus snapped, hands on his dark denim clad hips. Draco smirked.  
"Actually, yes."  
"Well then please proceed."   
"May I?" Draco asked, offering Justin his hand.   
"May you what?" Justin asked, mystified. Draco laughed.  
"Have this dance."  
"Dance?" Justin looked vaguely horrified. "I don't dance."  
"Yes, you do."  
"No, I don't," Justin insisted. Draco reached for the lapels of Justin's trench coat and stripped him of it in one deft motion.  
"Dancing is like sex. The basics are instinctive. You are dancing with me, Justin, whether you like it or not. Trust me, you'll like it." Justin sighed. Where the hell did Draco get all his confidence? It must come with having a body that would make Apollo green with envy.  
  
Giving in, Justin let Draco lead him to the dance floor, fully aware that this was his first dance with a guy and that he was effectively outing himself. Then a thought occurred to him. Since Draco was dancing with him, wouldn't everyone else think Draco was gay too? "Draco," Justin whispered. Draco slid an arm around Justin's waist.  
"H'm?"  
"Are you-"  
"Finnigan has a nose for these kinds of things," Draco replied wryly.  
"Thanks." Draco smiled.  
  
He said nothing further, only moved his hips to the music, gently guiding Justin with his hand. "What do I do with my hands?" Justin hissed.   
"Whatever you want." Shyly Justin put his hand on Draco's shoulder, hips still moving. The blonde laughed.   
"I'll show you." He turned around. "Put your arms around my waist." Justin obeyed. "Now let yourself go." Easier said than done, but Draco's natural grace and confidence didn't allow for inept awkwardness in others. Justin ventured closer to Draco. The Slytherin placed his hand over Justin's, letting his head fall back onto Justin's shoulder. The song changed and became slower and more exotic. Draco's hips pressed against Justin's lightly as they swayed sinuously. Justin had never been this close to Draco and for the first time he noticed the other boy smelled vaguely of cinnamon. Then the scent vanished. He went in search of the elusive fragrance and ended up burying his face in Draco's neck, his hips still moving in time with Draco's, only now his other hand was moving up Draco's lithe torso. Draco opened his half-closed eyelids to find Harry staring at them. He made eye contact and gave Harry his trademark smirk. He covered Justin's hands with his own and guided them down his stomach, past his hips, and over his thighs. Harry's mouth dropped open.  
  
"You want a drink?" Justin started to hear Draco's voice so low and intimate. It was almost vulgar. He nodded, releasing Draco from his arms. They sat down and Draco brought the drinks, noting that Harry was still watching them. "Some party," Draco remarked.  
"Yeah, everyone's having a blast."  
"Even Granger. Weasley will be hard-pressed to keep up." Justin turned to look. Draco emptied the contents of a small envelope into the Hufflepuff's drink. Justin laughed and picked up his drink, cradling it for a moment before draining it entirely. Draco studied him for a moment and then emptied his glass. "Would you like to get some air? It's rather stuffy in here." Justin agreed and let Draco lead him outside.  
  
"I slipped something in your drink that will make your legs feel like jelly for the next half-hour," Draco confessed the moment they walked out the door. "It should go into effect...now."   
"Wh-" Justin's knees gave away and Draco caught him around his waist. "Why?" Draco leaned in and kissed him. He pulled back, breathing heavily. "Drac-" Another kiss, not a gentle kiss, but a greedy, soul-stealing kiss. Justin gasped as his back hit the wall and Draco took the opportunity to explore Justin's mouth. "Draco? Draco, stop." But Draco didn't appear to hear him and now his hands were moving up under Justin's shirt. "Draco? Draco, please," he pleaded.  
"I do believe he asked you to stop, Malfoy," a familiar voice said. Draco stopped and turned to face the speaker.  
"I fail to see how it's any of your concern, Potter."  
"You don't see a lot of things. I'm making this my concern."  
"Never pegged you as voyeuristic. Too scared to join in?"  
"Don't talk about things you don't understand."  
"Is this about him?" Draco asked, inclining his head toward Justin, who was clinging to the wall for dear life. Harry's lips compressed into a thin line. "You want him, Potter? He is adorable and that innocence is so sexy."  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry clenched his fists.  
"Oh! You do! Don't worry. When I'm done, you can have your fun with him. Hours and hours of fun." That was the straw that broke the horse's back.   
"Shut up!" Harry swung and his fist hit Draco in the stomach. Draco went sprawling and Harry gathered Justin up and disappeared.  
  
Seamus appeared shortly after. "Oh my god, Draco! What happened to you?" the Irish blonde asked, offering Draco a hand.  
"Just a fist to the stomach, it'll heal." Draco winced as he rose to his feet.  
"Who-"  
"Harry Supergit Potter," Draco grumbled. Seamus chuckled.  
"And where's Justin?"  
"With Harry." Comprehension dawned in turquoise eyes and Seamus smiled.  
"You might have some Gryffindor in you yet," he remarked.  
"I take that as an insult," Draco said petulantly.  
"You would. Come on, beautiful. I'll buy you a drink." Seamus held open the door and with a glance at the direction in which Justin and Harry had vanished, he went back inside.  
***  
  
Ah, yes more cliffies. I am STILL taking opinions on pairings, so if you have a preference let me know. Review, lovies! Happy Valentine's Day!  
  
With all my love,  
J. Silver 


	10. No Experience Desired

A/N: The story plan has been revised. This isn't the last chapter. There will be at least two more chapters…and there was much rejoicing I'm sure. ^_^  
  
Thank you Rubicon (for all your kind words), Eccentricity is Me (My muse does not shut up. It's easy to pick a semi-good idea out of 30.), Nuriko No Tenshi, VenusPrincess, Whoohoo, Redhawk, Sion, Scratches (One of these days I'll get around to reading some of your work. I promise.), jily-anne, Annclaire, rhinestone, HermioneHeidi, Mystica (Ron/Draco? I'll set my muse on it…), twilights death, Silverfox, Foxglove, Rehanna, shawn and whitebearwrites.  
  
Special thanks and hugs to my friend Dylan (pen name Kenku). This chapter didn't exist two days ago, but Dylan kept harassing me and here it is!!  
  
***  
  
The Gryffindor dorms were red, Draco noted. It wasn't completely unexpected, but, then again, the color of the Gryffindor dorms had never concerned Draco seeing as he had never planned on sleeping with a member of that house. But the list of things he'd never do was quickly diminishing. Seamus grinned, perfectly aware that this was one of the last places Draco Malfoy expected to find himself. "Don't look so surprised, love," he whispered. "I always knew you'd end up here."  
  
"So modest, aren't we, Finnigan?" Draco teased.  
  
"Don't tell me that you don't appreciate someone as forward as yourself," Seamus said, pulling Draco to him.  
  
"Right now, I quite appreciate it," Draco answered, shivers moving through his body where Seamus pressed against him.  
  
"How'd you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Get Justin and Harry together."  
  
"Potter has a huge Superman complex. It's forced upon him, but he fits it so perfectly. Where innocents suffer, Potter will be there. Justin's as innocent as they come."  
  
"Now, why did you do it?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why did you let him punch you? Don't tell me 'because it was part of the plan'. That Malfoy pride is very hard to soothe."  
  
"Something's hard, but I'm almost certain it's not my pride."  
  
"Maybe it's my pride then." Seamus smirked. It was very becoming on him.  
  
"Oh yes, that's definitely your pride."  
  
"H'm. Maybe I'm just very glad to see you," Seamus murmured. "But why?"  
  
"I woke up thinking that there wasn't enough pain in my life, but a fist to the stomach would be a beautiful start."  
  
"You have a weird sense of humor, you know that?"  
  
"You have a weird sense of fashion, but I don't complain, do I?"  
  
"Constantly, about everything."  
  
"And right now I'm complaining that you dragged me up here to criticize me while you are pressed dangerously close to me."  
  
"Dangerously?" Seamus's eyes twinkled. "How dangerous are you, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked, lips brushing against Draco's.  
  
"Very dangerous," the Slytherin replied.  
  
Seamus smiled and kissed him. //Oh. He's good at this…// "Had a lot of practice, Finnigan?" Draco asked teasingly. Seamus took off his shirt.  
  
"If we're going to fuck, do me a favor," he said.  
  
"Such language," Draco chuckled.  
  
"Call me by my first name."  
  
"Seamus." The name sounded strange on Draco's tongue. He let his fingers trace a path down Seamus's lean torso.  
  
"Yes, you could say that I've had a lot of practice. That bother you?"  
  
"Why would I be bothered by a partner who knows what they're doing?"  
  
"Why indeed?" Seamus inquired, arching a sandy brow.  
  
Suddenly Draco felt anxious under Seamus's scrutiny. "You're shaking," observed the Gryffindor.  
  
"It happens."  
  
"When one is nervous. Are you a virgin, Draco Malfoy?" Draco laughed.  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you unwilling?" Seamus asked, moving his hands along Draco's sides. Draco looked down.  
  
"I hardly think unwillingness is a problem."  
  
"Then what is?"  
  
"What makes you think there's a problem?"  
  
"You haven't jumped me yet." The corners of Draco's mouth curved upward.  
  
"You have a talent for stating the obvious, Seamus."  
  
"My experience is a problem, isn't it?" the Irish blonde asked quietly.  
  
"Yes, Seamus! I'm not going to have sex with you because it might be an intensely pleasurable experience!" Draco exclaimed, exasperated with all this questioning.  
  
"No. You're not going to have sex with me because my experience will make it difficult for you to pretend I'm Justin."  
  
Draco stared, open-mouthed, unable to say anything in response to such an extraordinary statement. He was about to protest, but Seamus placed a finger to his lips. "Don't try to make excuses for yourself. I may be a bit…energetic and headstrong, but I know people. And I know that you didn't know this."  
  
"But why would I-How?"  
  
"Justin is very likable and you've made no real effort to conceal your feelings. If he wasn't so modest and you weren't quite so stubbornly proud, maybe you would've realized your feelings sooner."  
  
It made sense. It made perfect sense. Him- helping others? Draco had never committed a selfless act in his entire life, save for his decision to set up Justin and he only did that because it would've made Justin so happy. And Draco would do almost anything to make Justin happy. That by itself was a great realization. People were only that stupid when they were in love. Draco's face blanched.  
  
"So you had to tell me this, when I just secured Justin and Potter as an item? Bloody fucking hell, Seamus! You couldn't tell me this three hours ago?"  
  
"I wasn't sure until three minutes ago! I'm a Gryffindor, but I'm not fucking stupid. I'm not going to pass up a chance with you over the idea that a shred of feelings could possibly exist."  
  
"You have some Slytherin in you yet," Draco laughed, shaking his head at the sheer lunacy of it all.  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
"You would."  
  
They stood smiling at each other for what seemed like ages. "Well, Draco, you dumb git! What are you doing here? You've got bad poetry to write and endless declarations of love to make!" Seamus cried, pushing the Slytherin out of the dorm. Draco paused.  
  
"Seamus?"  
  
"Yes, love?"  
  
"If you're wrong, I'm coming after you with a very big stick." Seamus grinned.  
  
"I'm counting on it," he murmured huskily. Draco blushed and left hastily.  
  
***  
  
So…this story isn't over yet and things can still be changed! I need feedback, m'dears! Review!  
  
Love,  
  
J. Silver 


	11. Platypuses... or is that Platypi?

A/N: The price of this chapter was a pie. *evil grin* Ah, the joys of being an author! Once more, the story plan has been...extended. Two more chapters will follow this one. Possibly three.  
  
Thank you  
  
Special thanks to Dylan for baking me a pie. Key lime- my new favorite. ^_^  
  
***  
  
Justin sat beneath the fragrant snow tree in Greenhouse 13. The diaphanous, white petals drifted down, occasionally catching in his hair. The Hufflepuff frowned. "Are you okay?" Harry inquired. "Did he hurt you?"  
  
"I'm fine. I'm glad you showed up when you did. All the same, I don't think he would've hurt me."  
  
"Didn't you hear him? He wanted to- He wanted-" but what Draco had wanted, Harry couldn't bring himself to say. To mention something so heinous in connection with Justin was unthinkable, so Harry settled for biting his lip instead.  
  
"I heard what he said," Justin replied, shaking petals out of his hair, " and it certainly felt that way, but-"  
  
"If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and-"  
  
"Is named 'Malfoy', it might be a duck-billed platypus," Justin chuckled softly, looking up through his eyelashes in an unintentionally flirtatious gesture.  
  
"What does that mean? " Harry asked, scooting closer to Justin.  
  
"It means that Draco's motives are only known to himself no matter how obvious they may appear."  
  
"So even though he drugged, kissed and groped you against your will while implying that he wasn't going to stop there, you still think his motives are good?" Harry asked incredulously.  
  
"It's possible," Justin mused.  
  
"It must be great to live in your world, " Harry replied, charmed. Justin blushed and pouted.  
  
"I'm serious. I know Draco a lot better than you do."  
  
"And I know his family history a lot better than you do."  
  
"Draco is not his father," Justin said firmly.  
  
"Yet. Next you'll tell me that Voldemort is just misunderstood and wasn't hugged enough as a child."  
  
"I'm optimistic, not stupid," Justin snapped.  
  
"Then you are blind and optimistic. Malfoy has done some awful things-"  
  
"He's done stupid and immature things. That doesn't make him evil." Harry smiled and shook his head.  
  
"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?" Justin sighed. Harry laughed.  
  
"No, I think you're incredibly naïve and adorable."  
  
"I'm naïve for refusing to believe someone can be innately evil?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then I don't understand. What makes you the authority on good and evil?"  
  
"I don't know about being the authority, but this certainly adds to my credibility!" Harry said, pointing to his scar.  
  
"Oh. I forgot."  
  
"It's alright. You get really worked up when it comes to Malfoy. Are you sure you don't like him instead of me?" Justin gaped at Harry. Harry chuckled. "Seamus kinda spelled it out for me today."  
  
"I should've guessed."  
  
"He said he was sick of your 'blasted shyness'."  
  
"Subtle is not Seamus's strong suite."  
  
"No. And hiding things isn't yours. You do like him, don't you?"  
  
"I like you," Justin replied. Then he did the boldest thing he had ever done in his life: He kissed Harry. Harry kissed him back softly and then pushed him away gently.  
  
"Far be it from me to reject kisses from adorable Hufflepuffs, but you still didn't answer my question. Do you like Malfoy?"  
  
"Of course I d-" Don't. That was what Justin meant to say. It was what he was trying to say. But it wasn't easy when Harry was staring at him with patience, understanding and that easy charm that had gotten Justin into this mess to begin with.  
  
"No, I don't," Justin said at last. Well, it was true. He didn't like Draco. Draco was far too exasperating to ever be liked. He held himself to high standards and expected them others to live up to the same standards. He was aloft and untouchable and insufferably proud. He was honest- painfully honest. His smile was rare and slightly crooked and his clothes fit him too nicely. It should be illegal for someone to look that good all the time. And he had this annoying habit of being nice when it was most needed and least expected and he tasted like…Damn. Damn. Damn. Fuck. Damn.  
  
"You are the worst liar in the entire world," Harry said softly.  
  
"I don't like him," Justin insisted. Harry grinned.  
  
"No, you don't. You love him," Harry gasped. "Justin and Malfoy sitting in a tree, S-O-D-D- ouch!" he cried, rubbing his arm.  
  
"Don't be crass," Justin said primly. "We get quite enough of that from Seamus, which reminds me…" Justin reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a shiny set of handcuffs. "Here you are." It was Harry's turn to blush.  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"Ron found them somewhere. Where on earth did you get those?"  
  
"Present," Harry mumbled.  
  
"From who?"  
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Hermione gave them to me for my last birthday."  
  
"Whatever for?" Justin giggled. Hermione, Miss Propriety, was into bondage. It was too funny.  
  
"She said they might be useful in getting certain blondes to stay still long enough for a decent shag." Justin gasped.  
  
"Liar! She didn't!"  
  
"Those were her exact words."  
  
"Certain Irish blondes?" Justin inquired. Harry was silent. "With names that start with 's' and end in 'eamus'?" A telltale blush crept up to Harry's ears. "Looks like you're the one in the tree. Handcuffs, leather pants…All you're missing is a whip."  
  
"No, I'm not," Harry replied, running a hand through his hair. Justin laughed so hard he was in tears.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get that hyperactive Irish twit!" Justin said, or sobbed rather.  
  
"And you," Harry said sternly. "Do something to Malfoy." Something? Justin's eyebrows rose and an uncharacteristically evil grin passed over his face.  
  
"I will," he promised. Harry kissed him swiftly on the cheek and after being convinced Justin no longer needed his assistance, left.  
  
***  
  
So…comments? Suggestions? I'm all ears. Review!  
  
Love,  
  
J. Silver 


	12. Behold the Glory of Ballet

A/N: Another…interesting addition to our little tale.  
  
Thank you Twilights Death, Foxglove, Kate, Scratches, MiniMe, Fluer Rochard, Rehanna, Mystica, whitebearwrites, HpMystery, Silverfox and CatC10.  
  
Special thanks to Rubicon, the official fairy godmother of this fic, and Dylan, who would have a fit if I even insinuated there was anything fairy- like about him.  
  
***  
  
Seamus's smile lasted until he flopped down on his bed and was reminded of his own desires. "Damn," he muttered, sitting up. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's see…" Millicent Bulstrode in a bikini. Ugh! That was horrid. Pansy Parkinson on any given day. Seamus shuddered. Dumbledore in- Oh no. Best not to go there. Snape in a tutu. Well…that worked wonders. Seamus giggled. A frilly, floppy, pink tutu with a sparkling tiara. Snape wearing said tutu and tiara while teaching Potions. "My Pretty Ballerina Barbie" Snape yelling at Harry for getting his "oohs" and "ahs" reversed. More giggling on the part of Seamus. And Harry would have that intense look of confusion on his face that made Seamus want to snog him into new levels of comprehension.  
  
The Irish boy shook his head. No way in hell. Ron was right for once. Harrry wouldn't go out with him. Seamus knew it. He had known it for quite some time. He was too bouncy, too energetic, and too wild for Harry. Harry needed someone more subdued. Someone like Justin. Justin and Harry would've been cute, but Draco…Draco and Harry would've been…a bloody mess. They'd just as soon kill each other as shag each other. Ron? Seamus laughed. Definitely not. They made rulers that were more curved than Ron. Dean and Harry? Come to think of it, what the blazes was Dean's sexuality? Seamus couldn't remember if he was gay, straight, or neutered. "Oh well," the blonde yawned. Completely knackered by the sheer amount of effort required to relinquish Draco to Justin, Seamus soon dozed off.  
  
//Wow. Wood grain is actually quite fascinating,// Harry thought. He had been studying the door to his dorm for the past five minutes, wondering how on earth he was going to get up the nerve to tell Seamus how he felt. //If you tilt your head at about a right angle, this knot looks like Queen Victoria. //Seamus had liked him once…during their first year. Of course, Harry didn't find this out until 5th year. Harry assumed by that time the ship named H.M.S The Anorexicly Thin and Only Chance Harry Ever Had With Seamus had long since sailed.  
  
He went over the upcoming confrontation again in his mind. "Hello, Seamus. Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" Ack! That was so cheesy, it could be considered a French delicacy. "Hi, Seamus. Want to play a game?" He did not just think that! That one was definitely out of the question. It sounded like the beginning of some cheap porno movie. How bad could it be? He had faced Voldemort three times in his life, and here he was, ready to turn tail and run at the possibility (Make that "certainty") that Seamus Finnigan would reject him.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the door to find Seamus sleeping peacefully. //How anticlimactic.// Harry walked over to Seamus's bed and looked in on the cause of his distress. Seamus looked like a sullied angel, his sandy hair disheveled, glitter resting on his cheeks, and eyeliner smudged. Harry touched his face gently. Seamus stirred slightly, moving into Harry's caress. Harry sighed. Tomorrow was another day. He turned to leave, but a soft moan caught his attention.  
  
Seamus was awake and smiling at him. The blond stretched luxuriously. "'Lo, love. Been there long?"  
  
"Long enough," Harry replied.  
  
"Like what you see?"  
  
"Immensely," Harry said, surprised at how confident he sounded. Seamus graced him with another smile.  
  
"How did it go with Justin?" Harry sat down.  
  
"He's in love with Malfoy."  
  
"Fantastic!" Seamus squealed.  
  
"One: Ouch! That was my ear. Two: Why?"  
  
"One: Sorry. Two: Draco loves Justin. Though I should be rather sad because that means that Draco won't be coming after me with a big stick." Seamus pouted. Then his eyes lit up and he bounced off the bed. "I have to tell him!" Harry grabbed Seamus's arm.  
  
"Hold on a moment." The Irish boy looked affronted.  
  
"Hold on! Harry, this is huge! How can you possibly expect me to 'hold on'?" They looked at each other for a moment. "Omigod, that sounded really wrong, didn't it?"  
  
Harry burst into laughter.  
  
"You could say that." Seamus giggled.  
  
"I have a talent for that it seems."  
  
"What else do you have a talent for?" Harry asked, voice low. Seamus raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.  
  
"Harry James Potter, are you coming on to me?"  
  
"Coming on to you?" Harry echoed, wrinkling his nose. "Wouldn't that make a horrible mess?" Seamus gasped and smacked him lightly.  
  
"You awful, naughty boy," he said, affecting a voice Dean called 'Shocked Victorian Mum'. "How dare you think such things! Let me go! I've got to tell Draco the good news!"  
  
"No."  
  
"No? No one has ever told me 'no'!"  
  
"It's hard to say 'no' when you're unconscious." Seamus worked furiously to remove Harry's fingers from his arm.  
  
"Trust me to keep falling for the arseholes," he muttered. He gave up, frustrated. "Let me go. Please." Harry was looking at the fey boy in undisguised awe and amazement.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I said, ' Let me go. Please.'"  
  
"No, before that."  
  
" I said, 'trust me to keep falling for the arseholes.'" Harry's grasp loosened on Seamus's arm.  
  
"Hah! Sucker!" Seamus bolted for the door. Harry tackled him immediately, recovering from his shock with lightening-fast reflexes.  
  
"You'd have to stick around to find out," Harry teased. He stood up and threw the struggling blonde onto his bed.  
  
Seamus sighed. Of course he had to get what he wanted just when he least wanted it.  
  
"Harry, while this is all well and good. Can you just wait for five minutes? Please? In five minutes, I will be back and ready for whatever it is you had in mind. Please?" Seamus's protests were cut short by a tiny click. He didn't have to look up to know what had just happened or that he wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.  
  
"Justin will tell Draco the news himself. You and I need to talk."  
  
"Talk! You have me handcuffed to your bed and you're wearing skintight pants, just so we can talk?" Seamus whimpered. "That is so incredibly unfair."  
  
"Patience," Harry chided. More whimpering from the captive. "Did you mean what you said?"  
  
"Which part?"  
  
"The part about falling for me?"  
  
"You're so bloody cute when you're uncertain," Seamus replied. Harry looked utterly confused. Seamus hooked one leg around Harry, pulled the dark- haired boy down on top of him and kissed him almost lazily. When the kiss was finished, it certainly looked like Harry had reached those new levels of comprehension. It felt like it too.  
  
"Unlock the handcuffs, Harry. I'm not going anywhere just yet." Harry scrambled to comply.  
  
***  
  
One more chapter to go…I think! Review, darlings!  
  
Love,  
  
J. Silver 


	13. The Many Uses of Children's Literature

A/N: This is really a continuation of chapter 13. There were a few inquiries as to Dean's sexuality, so maybe this chapter will throw some light on that aspect of our story. Chapter 14 should be out in a week or two.  
  
Thank you Rehanna, Tech Dust (almost flawlessly IC? I'm tickled!), kenku (^_^), Redhawk, Rhinestone, jilly-anne (I managed to pull off a plot? Yay!), Silent Stalker, AllAboutMe, Silverfox, whitebearwrites (sorry!), Danielle, Scratches, and Catspook.  
  
***  
  
Seamus grinned evilly once the handcuffs were undone and Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach- until Seamus pounced on him. Harry was acutely aware of Seamus's lips on his and vaguely aware of the other boy's nimble fingers working to remove his shirt. He rolled over, pinning the Irish boy beneath him. Seamus gazed at him from beneath lowered eyelids, his flushed face betraying his cool stare.  
  
  
  
The door swung open. Harry jumped off Seamus so fast, he knocked the blonde off the bed. Dean laughed. Seamus stood up and dusted himself off. "Dean!"  
  
"Seamus!" Dean replied, amusement shining in his dark eyes. "Having fun there, boys?" Harry blushed and sat down.  
  
Dean's eye moved over him nonchalantly. "Apparently."  
  
"What would you know about it?" Seamus retorted.  
  
"Enough." Seamus's face brightened.  
  
"Oh?" he said curiously.  
  
"No. Whatever it is, Seamus, just no."  
  
"You don't even know what I was going to say," Seamus whined.  
  
"I don't need to know what you were going to say. I know that look."  
  
"What look?"  
  
"You know very well what look."  
  
"So you wouldn't be interested in a threesome?" Seamus asked, his hair falling into his eyes in a very fetching manner. Dean snorted.  
  
" I like you both as people and I appreciate you aesthetically, but I would shoot myself in the foot before I got romantically or sexually involved with either of you," Dean answered frankly.  
  
"Damn you! I am in no mood to get a dictionary. Could you translate that into English please?" Seamus requested, batting his eyelashes prettily.  
  
"No way in hell."  
  
"How about heaven?" purred the Irish boy.  
  
" I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs in ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am," Dean quoted, raising an eyebrow. Harry giggled at the Dr. Suess reference.  
  
"Ah. So you're straight?" Seamus inquired, completely ignoring his best friend's idiotic response.  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"So you're gay?"  
  
"I didn't say that either," Dean replied, enjoying his game with Seamus immensely.  
  
"Bi?"  
  
"Not telling you," Dean sang, placing his hand on the doorknob.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I like tormenting you." Dean ducked out of the room just in time to avoid the alarm clock Seamus hurled at him.  
  
  
  
"Well," Harry said at length." I hope Neville didn't need that alarm clock." Seamus surveyed the remains of the clock.  
  
"Nah, " the Irish boy. "He always sleeps through it anyway. His alarm clock is Dean rolling out bed to turn off his alarm for him and-OH!OH!OH!" The look on Seamus's face was hard to describe, but Harry would've classified it as big trouble for Dean.  
  
"What?" The dark-haired boy asked, preparing himself in case Seamus decided to make another bid for freedom.  
  
"I've got Dean figured out! I am so going to give him hell for this. How dare he try to keep this from me? Of all the-" Harry yanked Seamus down into his lap.  
  
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" Harry asked, cupping Seamus's chin.  
  
"Well, there was once when I was five and in this recital and I had to explain the story of the Three Little Pigs, but I forgot the ending so I kept going and going and going. Did you know the pigs built an atomic bomb shelter out of match sticks in their backyard? And just last week I was talking to Ron- I don't know how you manage to stay so close to that boy; he's impossible- and we got on to the topic of-" Harry shook his head and kissed the babbling blonde firmly.  
  
  
  
Afterwards, Seamus was breathless, which is saying something since he had already demonstrated his considerable lung capacity with his amazing ability to say whole paragraphs in one breath. "Or if you don't want to talk, there are other ways to amuse ourselves," he acknowledged. Harry grinned.  
  
"Other ways?" he asked, nuzzling Seamus. "Like what?"  
  
"Like this," Seamus replied, kissing the tip of Harry's nose. "And this," he added, kissing his eyelids. "And this. " Another kiss landed on the curve of Harry's jaw. "And this. " Seamus's tongue darting out along Harry's neck. "And this" His teeth tugged at Harry's earlobe. "And-" Harry turned and caught Seamus's lips again. Seamus smiled. "And then of course, there's always that."  
  
***  
  
So for those of you who bemoaned my poor choice of stopping points, sorry again! I just keep thinking that Dylan is going to read this and though I'm sure he's read all the disclaimers, I don't want to scare the poor dear. Comments and suggestions are always welcome so please review!  
  
love,  
  
j. silver 


	14. Of Gucci bags and the Validity of a Hete...

A/N: I'm getting so lazy in my old age. ^_^ I blame it all on inertia and Dylan. He made me so worried that this has been sitting on my computer for a week with me trying to tinker with it. I sincerely hope you like it, darlings.  
  
Thank you whitebearwrites, Rehanna, Silent Stalker, Redhawk, Kate, Jilly- anne, Silverfox, Tech Dust, Lucretia, HPMystery, Vixen, lise, Scratches, AllAboutMe, and Mystica.  
  
***  
  
Draco went to the Hufflepuff dorms and asked a rather disgruntled-looking Ernie Macmillan if he had seen Justin. Ernie eyed Draco suspiciously. "I haven't seen him since you lot spirited him away this afternoon. Don't tell me you lost him! Really, I know you don't like Hufflepuffs, but you can't treat people like your cheap luggage. "  
  
"My luggage is not cheap!" Draco huffed.  
  
"Then it's horribly overpriced," Ernie replied coldly. Draco decided that he did not like Ernie at all. But more important than hexing Ernie cross- eyed and impotent (and he could do that) was finding Justin. Shooting him an evil glare, Draco left the tired Hufflepuff.  
  
***  
  
Dean ran into Ron on his way back to the common room. "Don't go upstairs," Dean warned.  
  
"Why?" Ron asked innocently.  
  
"Trust me, you don't want to know."  
  
"I don't want to know why I can't go into my own dorm?" Ron said, confused.  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Why?" At that precise moment a deep moan drifted down the stairwell.  
  
"I swear, that boy can't do anything discreetly," Dean sighed, shaking his head. Another moan followed, clearly from a different person.  
  
"Was that-" Ron began.  
  
"Don't even start. Just forget you ever heard it. Life will be so much easier," Dean said, taking Ron's arm.  
  
Ron let himself be steered out of the thankfully empty common room.  
  
"Hear what? I seem to have developed a bit of deafness in my ear. " Dean grinned.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"I didn't peg Justin for the type to do that on a first date," Ron said a few moments later. He and Dean were safe in the hallway and Ron was still a bit dazed.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"*That*," Ron said, eyes wide.  
  
"That wasn't Justin," Dean said.  
  
"Well then what happened to Justin?"  
  
"I don't know. Why don't we ask him?"  
  
They stopped by the Hufflepuff dormitories, where a very irritated Ernie Macmillan informed them that he hadn't the foggiest idea where Justin was and mumbled something about "snakes" and "bags".  
  
"What was he talking about?" Ron asked.  
  
"The fall Gucci lineup?" Dean guessed.  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Oh, honestly." The black boy rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I 'm going to say this, but Seamus was right. You are so hetero it's not even funny." Ron looked hurt.  
  
"You say that like being hetero is a bad thing."  
  
"Don't get me wrong. I'm all for being hetero. In fact my parents are hetero."  
  
"Imagine," Ron said dryly.  
  
"Hetero is a perfectly valid lifestyle. It's just not mine."  
  
"Where have I heard that argument before?"  
  
***  
  
Draco wandered around the castle for a while and then walked back to the Hufflepuff area of the school to inquire once more of a downright hostile Ernie Macmillan if he had seen Justin. Several expletives and an impromptu shower later, Draco was sent away knowing as much as he had when he started. Disappointed, he made his way back to his own rooms.  
  
He found Justin waiting for him, looking rather forlorn, shivering in his thin sweater and frowning in a rather infantile fashion. Justin caught sight of him and Draco almost smiled until the Hufflepuff slapped him hard across the face.  
  
***  
  
"Now what?" Ron asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Now we go ask Draco."  
  
"Malfoy?" Ron's face screwed up in clear dislike. "Do we have to talk to him?"  
  
"We could try Harry, but I dare say he's occupied at the moment," Dean replied innoently. Ron blushed.  
  
"Malfoy it is then."  
  
Dean and Ron turned the corner just in time to see Justin slap Draco. Dean pulled Ron back behind the wall and they both watched the unfolding scene in silence.  
  
***  
  
" I suppose I deserved that," Draco said glumly.  
  
"Damn right you deserved that! What the fuck were you thinking?" And that's when Draco knew Justin was pissed.  
  
"I knew that if Potter thought you were in trouble he would come to your rescue and I was hoping that after that, you two would talk or…something."  
  
"So you kissed me like that for the sake of some half-baked plan that was doomed before it began?" Draco nodded, not daring to look Justin in the eye for fear of what he might find there.  
  
"You can't just go around drugging and kissing people and then shoving them into other people's arms! It's just not right. It's downright mean and you know what that makes you? It makes you a tease." Draco's head snapped up. "An awful, cold, insufferable tease." Justin grinned.  
  
"What?" Draco asked, mystified. Justin wrapped his arms around Draco's neck and lowered his eyelids in an intentionally flirtatious gesture.  
  
"You boys just don't get it do you? I maybe sheltered, but I am still a teenager, which means that I have hormones." He thrust his hips against Draco's, earning a small cry from the blond. "And delicate feelings, though the masculine thing to do would be to ignore all of them except for hunger and an insatiable thirst for spectator sports."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning don't kiss me like that unless you mean it." Draco grinned.  
  
"Fair enough," he murmured. He wrapped his arms around Justin's waist and kissed him. It wasn't a soft, gentle kiss. After Justin's little rant, Draco hardly thought it appropriate. Instead it was a slow, passionate kiss.  
  
"What about Potter?" Draco asked, panting slightly.  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"I thought-"  
  
"He's occupied and he called me adorable."  
  
"But you are," Draco chuckled. Justin pouted. "Not that it's a bad thing to be and there are other ways to describe you."  
  
"Right," Justin said in clear disbelief.  
  
"I mean it," Draco replied, placing a kiss behind Justin's ear.  
  
"Anyway, you're the better kisser. And don't give me that smug look. I know you're flattered."  
  
"How would you know that?"  
  
"In some ways I know you too well and in other ways I'd love to get to know you better."  
  
"In what ways."  
  
"In some physical ways," Justin murmured, managing not to blush. Draco flashed him an evil grin.  
  
"What happened to the cozy heart-to-heart chat?"  
  
"I thought we just had one of those."  
  
"No," said Draco. Justin looked crushed.  
  
"You're rejecting me?"  
  
"Not entirely," Draco protested. "I just don't want to trample your 'delicate feelings'. This would be your first time and I want it to be something special. I smell like smoke, I'm nearly drunk, and my dorm is a mess because my roommates are like chimpanzees and throw their shit at each other." Justin snorted. "You deserve better than that. What?" Draco asked as Justin's body shook with suppressed laughter.  
  
"You're so sweet when you want to be," Justin giggled. Draco pulled Justin closer.  
  
"Don't tell anyone," he said. "I would destroy my image." Justin merely smiled and tilted his head up for another kiss, which Draco was only too happy to supply.  
  
***  
  
"Justin and Malfoy?" Ron gasped. "I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
"I think it's sweet- in a Tim Burton directed, arse backwards, completely twisted sort of way," Dean said.  
  
"So does that mean that was Harry and Sea…" Ron's voice trailed off as his face turned a decidedly unhealthy shade of green and he sank down to the floor.  
  
"I told you not to think about it," Dean chirped.  
  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the plan to set up Harry and Justin?"  
  
"Sounds about right," Dean affirmed, offering Ron a hand up.  
  
"Then what happened?" The redheaded boy asked, pulling himself up.  
  
"We failed, but, hey, you can't say we didn't try."  
  
"I'm going to close my eyes and maybe when I wake up the world will make sense again," Ron sighed, shutting his eyes.  
  
"Or not," Dean laughed.  
  
"A man can hope, can't he?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose he can."  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Well, I know a few Ravenclaws that might put us up for the night."  
  
"And then?"  
  
"And then I haven't the faintest idea."  
  
"Sounds like the rest of our plans," Ron chuckled. Together, the two walked off to the only dorm whose occupants still behaved predictably.  
  
***  
  
*Sigh* Another tale completed. That makes…not nearly enough, does it? Comments and criticisms welcomed with the same alacrity. Thank you soso much to all of you who have made this little fic possible and enjoyable to write!  
  
Love always,  
  
J. Silver 


End file.
